A randomized direct comparison of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of apixaban and rivaroxaban

Charles Frost,1 Yan Song,1 Yu Chen Barrett,1 Jessie Wang,2 Janice Pursley,3 Rebecca A Boyd,4 Frank LaCreta1 1Exploratory Clinical and Translational Research, 2Exploratory Development Global Biometric Sciences, 3Analytical and Bioanalytical Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, USA; 4Global Innovative Pharma Business Clinical Pharmacology, Pfizer Inc., Groton, CT, USA Background: Currently, there are no direct comparisons of apixaban and rivaroxaban, two new oral direct factor Xa inhibitors approved for management of thromboembolic disorders. Objective: Compare the pharmacokinetics and anti-factor Xa activity (AXA) of apixaban and rivaroxaban. Methods: In this randomized, open-label, two-period, two-treatment crossover study, healthy subjects (N=14) received apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily (BID) and rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily (QD) for 4 days with a ≥4.5-day washout. Plasma samples were obtained for pharmacokinetic and AXA assessments; parameters were calculated using noncompartmental methods. Results: Median time-to-maximum concentration was 2 hours for both compounds, and the mean half-life was 8.7 and 7.9 hours for apixaban and rivaroxaban, respectively. Daily exposure, the area under the curve (AUC(0–24)), appeared similar for rivaroxaban (1,094 ng · h/mL) and apixaban (935 ng · h/mL), whereas mean peak-to-trough plasma concentration ratio was 3.6-fold greater for rivaroxaban (16.9) than apixaban (4.7). Coefficient of variation for exposure parameters (AUC0–24, Cmax, Cmin) was 20%–24% for apixaban versus 29%–46% for rivaroxaban. Peak AXA, AXA AUC(0–24), and AXA fluctuation were ~2.5-, 1.3-, and 3.5-fold higher for rivaroxaban than apixaban, respectively. Trough concentrations and AXA were lower for rivaroxaban (10 ng/mL and 0.17 IU/mL vs 17 ng/mL and 0.24 IU/mL for apixaban, respectively). Rivaroxaban exhibited a steeper concentration–AXA response (slope: 0.0172 IU/ng vs 0.0134 IU/ng for apixaban, P